A Visit to Hardy’s Wessex – part 2

Ahead of her new season of Thomas Hardy study sessions, Dr Diane Duffy has paid a visit to Wessex.
A Visit to Hardy’s Wessex – part 1

Ahead of her new season of Thomas Hardy study sessions, Dr Diane Duffy has paid a visit to Wessex.
The Elizabeth Gaskell Memorial Service 2025

Each year we have a service to commemorate the anniversary of the birth of Elizabeth Gaskell in September 1810. This year, we assembled to mark the occasion on Sunday 21 […]
Thomas Hardy and Elizabeth Gaskell – study sessions 2025-26

Dr Diane Duffy’s popular study session series looking at Elizabeth Gaskell’s literary legacy continues. This season, she turns her attention to Far From the Madding Crowd, by Thomas Hardy.
The Gaskell Society on the BBC

Michael Portillo, former government minster turned television presenter (and famous for his brightly-coloured clothes), asked the Gaskell Society’s Chair, Dr Diane Duffy, to contribute to a BBC programme celebrating the […]
A Letter From Julia Gaskell

Over the past year a number of unpublished letters from Elizabeth’s daughters have been brought to our notice. Last year, for example, a letter from Meta (Margaret) Gaskell was discovered […]
Call for Papers – Gaskell Society Conference 2026

We’re delighted to announce our Conference, 10-13 July 2026 – and a call for papers!
A Year in the Life of our Society

Ours is a busy society, with a packed social calendar. At our AGM in April 2025, our wonderful Secretary, Pam Griffiths (who holds everything together!), gave her report on a […]
A Visit to Capesthorne Hall

A Visit to Capesthorne Hall “A place and person for an artist to be in – old hall, galleries, old paintings, &c. and such a dame of a lady to […]